The Pinkerton Detective Agency was founded in 1850 by Scottish immigrant, Allan Pinkerton. It was a detective agency used to bust strikes, usually through the use of extreme violence. It gained national attention when it went up against the "Molly Maguires," a secret society of Irish coal miners who committed violence against coal companies in Pennsylvania. The Pinkertons had many of the members of the Molly Maguires arrested or hanged, which shocked many Americans. The Pinkertons were responsible for many strike-breaking campaigns in the 19th century due to the growing number of unions and labor movements across the country. Consequently, they were often referred to as the, "hated men in blue," even though most of their tactics were legal actions used to maintain law and order. They could do the work that law enforcement did not want to.
The Pinkertons' Legacy with Labor and Industry
The Pinkertons are best known for their involvement with the Homestead Strike of 1892. The Pinkertons were called in by Henry Clay Frick, who worked for Andrew Carnegie, tocarry out the strike-breaking measures of the Carnegie Steel Company. It was a bloody affair, with many deaths on both sides.
At its height from 1866-1892, the Pinkertons were involved in over seventy labor disputes and opposed nearly 125,000 strikers. They were involved in many notable disputes such as Haymarket, and have even been considered the alleged bombers in the riot. Because of the Pinkerton Agency's reputation as ruthless strike-breakers, they were hated by anyone who supported the rights of workers. They became a symbol of evil because they were responsible for carrying out the "dirty-work" of major corporations that mistreated workers.
Pinkerton's National Detective Agency
The Pinkerton Detective Agency was founded in 1850 by Scottish immigrant, Allan Pinkerton. It was a detective agency used to bust strikes, usually through the use of extreme violence. It gained national attention when it went up against the "Molly Maguires," a secret society of Irish coal miners who committed violence against coal companies in Pennsylvania. The Pinkertons had many of the members of the Molly Maguires arrested or hanged, which shocked many Americans. The Pinkertons were responsible for many strike-breaking campaigns in the 19th century due to the growing number of unions and labor movements across the country. Consequently, they were often referred to as the, "hated men in blue," even though most of their tactics were legal actions used to maintain law and order. They could do the work that law enforcement did not want to.
The Pinkertons' Legacy with Labor and Industry
The Pinkertons are best known for their involvement with the Homestead Strike of 1892. The Pinkertons were called in by Henry Clay Frick, who worked for Andrew Carnegie, tocarry out the strike-breaking measures of the Carnegie Steel Company. It was a bloody affair, with many deaths on both sides.At its height from 1866-1892, the Pinkertons were involved in over seventy labor disputes and opposed nearly 125,000 strikers. They were involved in many notable disputes such as Haymarket, and have even been considered the alleged bombers in the riot. Because of the Pinkerton Agency's reputation as ruthless strike-breakers, they were hated by anyone who supported the rights of workers. They became a symbol of evil because they were responsible for carrying out the "dirty-work" of major corporations that mistreated workers.